Exploring Wellness through Culture
a Youth Empowerment Initiative
As First Nations people we have a legacy of health and wellness in our culture. This initiative gave us the opportunity to awaken the legacy and shine a light on the strength we have to pioneer our future. Engaging youth and elders created an environment that built spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical strength. The culture and teachings shared by elders and mentors as they shared their lives with us encouraged us to live a strong, healthy and balanced life.
Grant Initiative: “Winter Wellness Grant” from First Nations Health Authority – thank you. With this we were able to purchase tablets which were given to the youth to put their presentation together; after their final presentation the youth were gifted the tablets to assist them with future projects, school work, etc.
Who: 4 Youth ages 15 to 19
What: A four week program where youth built mentoring relationships with their peers, elders and teachers in our community who equipped them with tools and understanding of wellness within our culture. The final outcome is a presentation from the youth to the community on what wellness through culture means to them at a Celebration Luncheon on March 9, 2016.
Where: Nisga’a Lisims Government, Terrace Office – Thank you to our staff & NLG for supporting this initiative
When: January 11, 2016 to February 23, 2016
Time: Two sessions per week, from 4 to 6 pm over a 5 week duration
Program Objectives:
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To build healthy relationships between youth and elders/mentors/teachers
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To increase the cultural understanding of youth and how it applies to building a healthy life
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To increase physical literacy in youth/elders through incorporating Fit Nation
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To incorporate the use of technology to build leadership skills
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To inspire youth/community members to be life-long learners of their culture and to incorporate it into their lives
Thank you to everyone who supported the initiative:
Youth: Arianna Robinson, Dakota Gray, Corwin Fisher, Natalie Venus
Elders: Larry Derrick, Diana Smith, Louisa Gray, Gerald Robinson
Youth Leaders: Teanna Ducharme, Leilani Wright
Workshop facilitator: George Verde
Staff at Terrace Nisga’a Office
FNHA for the grant
School District 92 for donating 4 culture books
